


Something Other Than Remaining

by desolatemoondust



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: F/F, Tickling, fic request, one day at a time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:56:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29516358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desolatemoondust/pseuds/desolatemoondust
Summary: It's been one of those days where travel is monotonous and long, where time and dirt eats up the road, and with-it conversation, and Dani finds it to be right. It's tranquil, existing in silence together. Comfortable, trudging along. Separate and yet united at the same time, to just be.It's a day where life is real, and she is here and one day at a time was really starting to feel like a mantra more than a wistful hope."We're 'ere."
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Something Other Than Remaining

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RenLuthor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenLuthor/gifts).



> Hi, thanks for the fic request, RenLuthor. I hope you like it!

It's been one of those days where travel is monotonous and long, where time and dirt eats up the road, and with-it conversation, and Dani finds it to be right. It's tranquil, existing in silence together. Comfortable, trudging along. Separate and yet united at the same time, to just be. 

It's a day where life is real, and she is here and one day at a time was really starting to feel like a mantra more than a wistful hope. 

"We're 'ere." Dani looks up at the words, realising for the first time how the car they are in is not moving, and is actually stationary in a parking lot in the dying sun. Jamie is sat there with idle hands on the steering wheel, quietly taking her in - patient and steady, full of understanding. 

Dani blinks slowly, trying to convey her gratitude in the stillness. 

With a small breath, Jamie straightens in her seat. 

"Come on, let's get inside, yeah. S'been a long one today." With a nod and quick swipe at her forehead, Dani follows Jamie out of the vehicle. She eyes the motel before heading to the back to retrieve her bag. 

"S'aight, I've got it." Jamie states in a cavaliar fashion, closing the boot of the car with one bag on her shoulder and the other - hers - in hand. 

"You sure?" 

"Yeah, s'not like you've got dumbbells in 'ere." Not a second later, she watches Jamie pretend to lower the bag to the ground with an exaggerated exhale and mock expression. 

"On second thoughts." Dani tries to jab her, snorting at the method acting, but Jamie manages to escape just in time, flexing her arm in jester, lifting the bag up miserably. 

"Maybe ya squeezed the wee gremlins in here too." 

"Shut up." 

"And 'ere was me thinking bringing my trowels would be excessive." She remarks with a teasing wink, stepping away again before any contact can be made against her person. 

"Give me the bag!" She's hot on Jamie's tail, stalking quickly - speedwalking if you will - making out to grab the bag this time, but Jamie just laughs and swings it in her grasp, watching it sway forward just out of reach. 

"Na uh." 

She shakes her head in defeat as the moment comes to a natural lull when they make their way inside of the motel and straight to the front desk. It's a routine at this stage, a perfected ritual they've performed many times now: one night (maybe two, depending on location and exhaustion), two beds (less inconspicuous), breakfast (if possible - and if not, directions for a cafe). 

After they have signed in and have the key to the room, which Dani holds firmly in her grasp, they make their way with synchronised ease down the corridor until they find it. 

Room 11. 

Dani makes quick to insert the key and open the door, granting Jamie entrance first. She hums in response when Jamie mutters her thanks, and closes the door behind them, sighing louder than she was expecting when the world is finally shut out behind her. She finds her body rest back against the door, eyes closing upon impact, not caring to inspect the room or take a step further. She hears the bags drop in the distance and footsteps shortly follow. 

"Alright Poppins?" Her eyes reopen at the question sent her way, noting how Jamie is close but not so near in that she is swallowed up by her presence. It's purposeful, and Dani appreciates how Jamie is always so respectful of boundaries. How effortless it is, too. 

But really, she doesn't care for it this second as she gingerly brings her arms up, a silent request, wanting proximity in a way she can't quite communicate right now. 

Jamie, ever perspective, senses this and steps forward into her orbit, allowing whatever request to be made. Her hands come to settle on Dani's elbows, supporting her however which way she can. 

"Alright?" She softly repeats, and Dani nods, pushing herself away from the door and into Jamie. She nestles her head into her shoulder, pressing closer into her body. Just wanting to be absorbed in the warmth being given. She can feel Jamie's hands move to her back, gentle and sure. One hand soon rises to rest on the back of her head to soothe the trestles there, and it's nice, so very nice to be held in this way. 

"Just tired." She mumbles, twisting her head so she can meet the skin of Jamie's neck with her lips, her arms encircle around her form to hold on, wrapping her up in this exchange, too. And it serves to show just how effected Jamie is by this, as well. How she can feel Jamie breathe out against her, and it's like the world is okay - her world, in this moment, is okay. So Dani nuzzles in more with hands that wander in a downwards trajectory to peak under the material of Jamie's shirt, wanting to seek out more skin on her quest. Her fingertips graze lightly, travelling up and down in a languid manner, enjoying the way her taut muscles move before deciding to settle on her lower back to swipe gentle patterns into her skin. 

With the newfound contact, Jamie shifts in their embrace, her arms rising and folding to rest soundly around her shoulders, pulling her in until there is no space left between them. 

It's just them, together. 

Breathing one another in. 

And Dani, in a moment of true stimulus, decides to choose violence. 

With this bright idea in mind and a smile etching across her face, she works her fingers up again, resuming a familiar dance on Jamie's back, testing the waters. She can sense the way Jamie is trying to regulate her breathing, to keep this moment contained and innocuous - so focused on this, that she doesn't realise how Dani is treading down a road they've been before, when she first discovered a sensitive area on her body. 

One, Dani had promised to not revisit. 

Except, that was then. This, this is now a different moment entirely, and one she could not help but return to. 

Her fingers drift to her sides, and with repetitive strokes, begins to tickle Jamie mercilessly. 

"No, no! Oh my- Dani!" Jamie tries to scramble backwards, away from the teasing hands but Dani just pulls her closer still, holding her in place. 

"Dani, you little-" She sputters, unable to form words with the sheer energy skyrocketing through her body and all the while, Dani just laughs, truly submits and allows herself to experience this joy, pressing harder into Jamie's shoulder and keeping her close. 

"This isn't fair- stop! Please, I- Dani!" She eventually eases up, but doesn't let her go, instead choosing to move them towards the closest bed available, trying all the while not to trip up on the bags left frivolously on the floor. 

"Who knew you were so ticklish." She mutters, pressing a soft kiss to her neck once more, trying to make amends for what she started. 

"You, you knew." It's how she sounds so breathless, and is overcome with the need to see her, which drives her to pull back to witness Jamie mid swallow, swiping away at the corner of her eye in a restless manner. Beautiful. 

"Mm," she then mildly pushes, guiding Jamie back until she sits down on the edge of the bed, uttering belatedly and rather lacklustre, "sorry", as she leans forward to kiss her forehead. Her eyes shut upon connection, and feels more than anything the way Jamie snickers in response, which makes the edges of her mouth curl upward. 

"Sure look it." 

"I repent for all I did." Her eyes remain closed as she dips her forehead to rest against Jamie's, yearning for proximity all that much more again. 

She's still growing used to this feeling, this strange coiling from within, this desire to be close, over and over again; a meeting she can never exhaust, not when with her - not when it _is_ her. 

No matter what distance reigns before them, it's like a thread is attached of unbelievable elasticity which compels Dani to wind it, to fasten and pull until they are closer together and contact is made. This notion, she finds, blooms when she least expects it, and as a result, propels a moment of genuine comfort and pleasure, to a higher level of feeling. One which she believes is returned, but has yet to be moulded, for their time is too short - and yet, time is, too short. Whatever it may be, it remains in existence, however unformed, but is received and given, in hopes one day it is known, established. Theirs. 

Jamie's hands come to rest tentatively on her hips, drawing her closer in-between her parted legs. 

"I see no such thing." She opens her eyes to see her, and hasn't a chance to register the butterflies uprising in her chest, for she is suddenly being brought down to the mattress, which her back makes contact with sharply, and releases a squeal in surprise. 

She finds Jamie come into focus on top of her, and any words dispelled when hands are quick to find her weak spots in sweet retaliation. 

She barely has the words out in time, "No, Jamie! No!" and squirms, which seems only to spur Jamie on, all that more determined on getting a rise out of Dani as she continues to tickle her. 

"Ah, how the turn tables.." 

"The-the what, Jamie!" It continues for what feels like forever and yet probably is a few moments before she eventually relents, drawing her hands back, but not before pressing a messy kiss to Dani's cheek. 

"Serves ya right." Jamie then collapses down beside Dani, body facing her, as to not fall off the bed due to the size of it. She reaches out to lace their fingers together, squeezing once before resting them on Dani's chest. 

Dani then turns her head to look at Jamie, the laughter and high dwindling down to simmer into something softer, and a lot more intense. 

She feels everything in these moments, and words are just not enough. She can't help but lean over and press her lips against hers, feeling the way Jamie shifts closer to meet her halfway, to make sure she is not alone in this endeavour. 

The kiss lasts for a moment, for eternity, and she is free. 

Happy. 

"Thank you." She brings her other hand up to wrap around their entwined hands, holding on tight. Jamie remains here, with her, breathing the same air. 

And there is a quiet solitude found in this shared space. 

A sense of being found and lost, all at once. And finding a certain peace with that. 


End file.
